Wayne State University selects Dr. Richard D. Benson as inaugural director for Detroit Center for Black Studies

National scholar to lead and advance interdisciplinary, Detroit-rooted
center focused on scholarship, public engagement and community connection

DETROIT - Wayne State University has named Dr. Richard D. Benson II the inaugural director of the Detroit Center for Black Studies. This marks a major milestone in the university's ongoing work to establish Detroit as a leading site for interdisciplinary Black studies scholarship, dialogue and community engagement.

A nationally recognized scholar of the Black Freedom Movement, the Black Radical Tradition and transnational social movements, Benson most recently served as associate professor of the Black radical tradition in education at the University of Pittsburgh. He was selected following a national search and officially joined Wayne State on June 1.

Established through a $6 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation announced in 2022, the Detroit Center for Black Studies will expand interdisciplinary scholarship, faculty collaboration and public engagement related to African American, African and African-diaspora studies. Since the grant announcement, Wayne State has focused on building the center's foundation through faculty recruitment, strategic planning and public programming that expands interdisciplinary scholarship and strengthens connections among the university, Detroit and broader public conversations around Black studies.

"Dr. Benson brings the intellectual leadership, interdisciplinary perspective and community-centered vision needed to guide the Detroit Center for Black Studies forward," said Dr. Keith Whitfield, interim provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Wayne State University. "His scholarship reflects the very qualities this center is intended to embody: rigorous academic inquiry grounded in history, connected to public life, and deeply engaged with the communities and questions shaping Detroit and our broader society."

Benson's research and teaching focus on the intersections of Black intellectual traditions, education, activism and social movements. Prior to joining the University of Pittsburgh, he served as associate professor in the education department at Spelman College. He is the award-winning author of Fighting for Our Place in the Sun: Malcolm X and the Radicalization of the Black Student Movement 1960-1973 and is currently completing additional book projects focused on Black political organizing and radicalism.

At the University of Pittsburgh's Center of Urban Education, Benson helped expand partnerships between universities and communities, with a focus on creating stronger connections among scholars, educators, organizers and public institutions.

His experience bridging scholarship, education and community engagement aligns closely with the center's interdisciplinary and public-facing mission.

"The opportunity to help build the Detroit Center for Black Studies at Wayne State University is incredibly meaningful," said Benson. "Detroit holds a unique place in the history of Black political thought, culture, labor activism and intellectual life. I'm excited to work alongside faculty, students and community partners to continue building a center that reflects the depth, complexity and significance of Black studies in Detroit and beyond."

Black studies has increasingly evolved toward interdisciplinary, place-based models that connect scholarship with public life and community engagement. Located in the heart of Detroit, Wayne State's center is designed to bring together scholars from across geographies and disciplines - including history, arts and culture, public health, education, and the humanities - while grounding its work in Detroit's lived experience and global influence.

"We continue to intentionally build the foundation for a truly interdisciplinary, Detroit-rooted center for Black studies," said Dr. Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, dean of Wayne State's Graduate School and principal investigator for the university's Black Studies Faculty Enhancement Initiative. "As the initiative has evolved, Wayne State has worked to shape a model that emphasizes scholarship, public engagement and national dialogue. Dr. Benson brings the vision and collaborative leadership needed to help guide that next chapter."

Wayne State's evolving Detroit-rooted model reflects a growing national emphasis on place-based Black studies work that connects academic research with community dialogue and public life.

The center's next phase will include expanded public programming, interdisciplinary collaboration, and development of a scholar-in-residence program and annual symposium designed to bring leading scholars, artists and thinkers to Detroit for ongoing dialogue, research and community engagement.

Additional announcements related to the center's programming and public initiatives will be shared in the coming months. Visit dcbs.wayne.edu for additional information.

About the Detroit Center for Black Studies: The Detroit Center for Black Studies at Wayne State University is a multidisciplinary academic center dedicated to advancing scholarship, teaching and public engagement related to African American, African and African-diaspora research and studies. Established through support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the center brings together scholars across disciplines while grounding its work in Detroit's history, culture and intellectual traditions.

About Wayne State University: Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 24,000 students.